Ripples to and from Corruption
by Jarzard
Summary: A strange storm takes with it Ash and Gary, four years later the Indigo League is about to start, and traitors take wing.
1. Ch1

Hello! Lol Fyreblazen commented that you still didn't know what the fic was about, and by golly, he was right! So While I had planned to release chapter 1 in 3 different parts I decided to delete 2 and replace one with the whole, so here without further ado, is the complete chapter 1 and if you have read parts one and two merely hit Ctrl+F and type in Jarzard, it should only be in here three times counting the two right here plus in a separate location down the page a little right above part 3 well.... enjoy!  
  
Ripples to and from Corruption  
  
By Jarzard  
  
It looked like a raging forest fire of white. The thousands of snow flakes shot from the sky like hail plastering the trees with an unbreakable shield of ice.  
  
Glancing back at the little hovel that stood in the crystalline dome, Ash sighed. Here he was... outside... in the cold... looking like a jet-puff- marshmallow-man... NOT his idea of a good time... why was he you might ask?... simple... he was leaving... going... as in not staying... he was going right now too... well in a couple of seconds at least... heck tomorrow would work... possibly wait here a couple of days... NO... well he shouldn't... what would it hurt?... NO!... he WAS going... soon... anytime... yes very soon... now......  
  
Tossing his daypack higher on his back Ash walked out of the clearing and out of his old life.  
  
~()~  
  
"Calm down, now" Officer Jenny tried to console the distraught girl blabbering in front of her.  
  
"but but but what if something happens to him!"  
  
'not my day, I'm gettin all the psychos!' Jenny muttered to herself as the girl continued to blab.  
  
"I mean it will be all my fault!"  
  
"Yes it will now SHUT UP"  
  
Misty didn't know what stopped her. Was it Jenny saying shut up? Was it Jenny YELLING??? Or possibly Jenny ripping out two handfuls of hair... we may never know.  
  
~()~  
  
*ring-ring-ring, ring-ring-ring, phone-call phone-call, ring-ring-ring, ring-ring-ring, phone-call phone-call, ring-ring-ring, ring-ring-ring, phone-call phone-call (ok Ill stop now!)* Finally picking up the phone Ms. Ketchum happily looked up at the clock.  
  
'three o'clock eh? Well me and Samuel must have been energetic tonight to last this long' (a.n. ahhhhhh!!!! BAD IMAGE BAD!)  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Is this Delia Ketchum?" The other voice asked.  
  
"Yes... Who might this be"  
  
"We call regarding your son..."  
  
~()~  
  
Gary sat beside the fire he had just made it's glow seemed to surround the area that he sat in, true all he could see was the whit glow of snow and the white smoke rising from the sun-kissed flames.  
  
How long ago had he got lost? two hours... or two weeks he couldn't tell, about all he could tell is that... one... it was cold... two... his hair was nearly pure ice... three... the fire WASN'T white.  
  
Sticking out his hand a pop caused his hand to twitch, the most movement he had gotten from it in several minutes.  
  
Suddenly his awe at the popping of his hand was interrupted as a small cry from the forest pulled him away from his fire and into the white darkness.  
  
~()~  
  
Professor Oak was having a great night, five strait hours at the Ketchum residence had tuckered him out however (a.n. AHHHHHHH ITS BACK!!!).  
  
As he walked into his lab he hit the switch to turn on the news, the current story, an amazing storm hovering over the Saffron City forest, which, despite its name, was no where near Saffron City.  
  
*ring-ring-ring, ring-ring-ring, phone-call phone-call, ring-ring-ring, ring-ring-ring, phone-call phone-call* cursing the hated sound of his phone the professor never the less picked it up.  
  
"Yes? Who is it?"  
  
"Is this Professor Samuel Oak?" The other voice asked.  
  
"That is my name. Who Do I have the pleasure of addressing?"  
  
"I call regarding your grandson..."  
  
A few seconds later the phone slipped out of his hand to shatter on the floor, vaguely he could hear the tv in the other room.  
  
"Thank you Dave. Now onto National News, the two up-and-coming trainers Gary Oak and Ash Ketchum have disappeared in the Saffron City Forests, to the Pokemon League we owe the quick notification of this event because they had the young trainers under surveillance...." the sound buzzed out as Professor Samuel Oak, the ultimate authority in Pokemon research, fell to the ground clutching his left arm.  
  
~()~  
  
"So Lance, now who?"  
  
"Well Agatha we have too find a couple more promising trainers I guess."  
  
"Should we have our two agents return to their gyms to await the trainers we chose?"  
  
"Yes, do, oh and tell Misty great acting."  
  
~()~  
  
"I can't believe he died while we were sleeping Brock." A petite little red- head sighed.  
  
"I know, I know, but maybe it was for the best."  
  
"True he would never have made it, and when he said he loved me..." She shivered when she said it.  
  
"The bastard deserved to die just for that." He growled.  
  
"Brock... since we're going to have a bed tonight..."  
  
~()~  
  
"Four years ago in the Saffron City Forest two up-and-coming pokemon trainers disappeared. We bring you this four year anniversary report as our top story tonight due to a similar storm hanging over the Indigo League Stadium. We will have more on this at nine, now for the weather."  
  
Sighing Delia Ketchum continued to rock in the old chair she had dug out of the attic. It was somewhat silly really, uncomfortable and garishly painted the rocker was now her favorite chair merely because her only son, deceased for four years, had made it for her as a birthday present mere weeks before he had been lost in a freezing storm along with his pikachu and in another spot somewhere in the storm, his best friend.  
  
Her wandering trail of thought was cut off by a knock at the front door, smiling sadly the aging woman stood, popped her back and limped to the front door.  
  
"Hello Sam." Was all she said when she opened it, smiling a bit more.  
  
"Hello Delia, and might I say you look as good as you did four years ago." Deep wrinkles creased the professors face as he stood slightly stooped in the doorway.  
  
"Ah how I wish I was, but as you well know, that is very impossible, if for no other reason, because of what happened four years ago."  
  
"Yes I know, but what concerns me is that, I *have* been feeling better since that storm showed up, have you?"  
  
"Sam I had been hoping it was only my imagination..."  
  
"Quite frankly it isn't."  
  
"What could this mean?"  
  
~()~  
  
Misty Waterflower and Brock Slate smiled at each other as the third wheel of their part sauntered up to the front desk.  
  
"So my little Brocky how are you this morning?" Misty slyly asked her traveling companion.  
  
"So-so its just that I have a bad feeling in my gut, like... you know, something really bad is going to happen." Concern flecked his otherwise brass voice.  
  
"Don't sweat it. You know as well as I do that it is only a couple of weeks and this particular group will be done... and then..." she let the sentence hang as she turned back to where their companion had disappeared into.  
  
After a couple of minutes a small red haired boy tanned and smooth skinned walked out of the veiled both.  
  
"Misty! Brock! We ready to go?" He asked looking into the others eyes.  
  
"Sure Hioshiro, we better move it or else all of the rooms will be gone!" And with that the threesome jogged out of the sign-up building.  
  
~()~  
  
Ash stumbled through the every thinning trees, the storm had not abated but he had a feeling deep in his gut that he was not going to have a good day.  
  
Glancing up for a second he saw a snow swept figure stumbling the same direction he was. Squinting Ash could barely make out brown hair and a VERY ragged cloak before the snow once again hid the figure.  
  
"Gary! Gary!" Even though the name was screamed the words got no further than his mouth if even that far.  
  
Stumbling forward Ash tried to hold on to his hole riddled coat, he didn't know where the holes had come from or where all of its new padding was but it looked like it had seen constant use for a long time. When he reached the form of his target Ash stopped, blinked, and blinked again.  
  
"Ash? Is that you?" the raspy unused voice sounded similar to Gary's but... Gary defiantly didn't look to be sixteen. "Its me... Gary..."  
  
And as Ash watched Gary seemed to age.  
  
~()~  
  
Dropping her binoculars to her not-so-flat chest the girl lifted up a small walkie-talkie and spoke into it.  
  
"Misty and Brock along with the whelp have left building omega, bring in the goods." Stuffing the walkie-talkie and binoculars into her bag the girl put on a goofy smile and skipped over to a parked red corvette and hopped in.  
  
Flipping through the stations she finally stopped on one that seemed to be playing some sappy love music she reclined the seat, opened a book that she put over her eyes, and laid back. She had been like that for a couple of seconds before a sharp rap came from the window. Pulling the book away from her face she blinked slowly at the group of girls and the smirking prat outside the window  
  
"Hey babe you better roll up the top a storm is coming." The great boy-snot said in a superior tone.  
  
"Really? Well we will do that when we get back lets go sign you up Kenji then we can sign in for a room and play dress up!" She again grinned foolishly.  
  
"Yeah, yeah," he said waving his hand in dismissal, "I'll just watch this time."  
  
"Your SO funny!"  
  
As Kenji strolled up to the counter, basking in the limelight anther one of the so called 'groupies' leaned over.  
  
"I really hate him." Was the whispered comment. And they both giggled.  
  
~()~  
  
Jarzard  
  
~()~  
  
And it was true, Gary Oak looked to Ash more twenty when the changes stopped. Definitely leaner the researcher's grandson looked well built and with muscles that where smooth and sleek he was definitely on Ash Ketchum's top ten best looking things since the invention of snow in this god- forsaken forest. What came in first was the dinged up street lamp that stood on a corner slightly behind his friend.  
  
And with bubbly eyes and arms thrown wide, Ash ran strait into the streetlamp.  
  
~()~  
  
Delia Ketchum and Samuel Oak sat leaning forward in the warm coziness of the Ketchum household, fire crackling merrily and the bright glow highlighting the younging features of the two occupants.  
  
Delia stared at the professor and the professor stared at Delia. They only looked about thirty now, age slowly fading as the sick feeling in there stomachs started to grow. Four years there health had been gone, four long years since there sons had died. The father who was called a grandpa, and the mother who acted like a sister, were supposed to die that day. It was there expiration date, so to speak.  
  
But they hadn't  
  
Why hadn't they?  
  
They should have.  
  
But they hadn't..... that was all that mattered really, 'think nothing more of it' Lance had advised them when he had seen both were alive and well. What did Lance know? What did he think?  
  
They had been clones, biologically engineered, to raise their respective child, one with love and devotion, one with respect and admiration. The entire town of Pallet had been built for that one purpose, raising Ash and Gary.  
  
So the creators had worked hard on the project.  
  
And still even with all of their running and all of their cunning, Ash and Gary must have slipped the noose.  
  
~()~  
  
Gary's shambling approach to the streetlight wasn't as heartfelt as Ash's, but only because he didn't think it was actually there.  
  
As his fingers traced a path on the rain crusted side of the pole, Gary smiled. It seemed like it had been a dream, ghosting silently through the unheard roar of wind and snow, an inexplicable balance between total silence and intolerable noise, even still, the pounding of it nearly drove him insane. It had all been meaningless gibble until Ash had yelled, none of it had had any more impact over any other, until Ash. Ash's yell must have had something special in it, something unique, but still that didn't mean anything.  
  
The rain started to lessen as the thunder died away,slowly the world righted itself, the road appeard, Shops surrounding them, glass and parked cars, all so natural, all so comforting, all so right..... except Gary had been in a forest.  
  
Ash groaned as he sat propped up on his elbows, staring at a big-screen T.V. in a shops window. Glancing over Gary froze too. On the screen were two pictures, one titled Hioshiro, and one Kenji. But that wasn't what caught there eyes, in the back ground stood two groups of pictures behind each respective trainer. Behind Hioshiro stood Brock, Misty, Tracy, May and Max. And Behind the other one was Gary's old cheerleaders. The announcer didn't go unnoticed either.  
  
~()~  
  
Hioshiro stood behind the closed door letting his long dark red hair hide his eyes. He didn't trust them anymore, probably never would again. It had been some time since he and Kenji had found out a piece of the ever darkening puzzle. It seemed inconsequential until then, totally unrelated to anything, until they compared information. The two great trainers Ash Ketchum and Gary Oak had been famous, very much so. But the League had gotten hush-hush about their journeys and travels.  
  
It all started when he had met Misty, after entering the old Viridian Forest and had camped out. It seemed an innocent little chicken carving in the wood almost unnoticeable unless you were lucky, Hioshiro had always been lucky. A simple AK and an MW in a crudely carved heart, that was it. Several weeks later he noticed another little heart, smiling he didn't think of it anymore. The next day he saw another one because he had insomnia. And then at every camping spot he looked for, and found. The not so crudely done heart, every carving that much better. Until the cabin.  
  
The cabin was a homely little hovel they had seemingly stumbled upon when the weather was about to get dire. It rained, hard. They laughed about how it wasn't as bad as the storm that the two 'wannabe' masters were lost in. he thought it wasn't all that funny, no one deserved to die in his mind, at least not yet. It was later that night that he climbed into the single bed of the small room that he glanced for the now masterfully done heart that should rest by where he slept, but instead it was a small note:  
  
If anyone is actually reading this (which I doubt) I am here to confess, for the past six years or so I  
have had a crush on my traveling companion. It's eating away at me and I know that I cant win the  
Indigo League with it still bottled up so.... well.... I'm going to tell her. Tonight. I don't know  
why I like her, it makes no since, but I do. I guess I'll put down what Mist tells me, wish me luck  
  
Ash K.  
  
She said she loved Brock..... how could I be so stupid? They don't care about me.... its all the  
glory they want, not me.... never me..... Im leaving.... going.... hopefully never to meet again,  
I have to find Gary and warn him about his cheerleaders, he's probly in the same boat.....  
Well here I go, the first adventure with JUST Ash Ketchum and Pikachu, wish me luck.  
  
Ash Ketchum, Chosen One, Traveler, soon-to-be pokemon master.  
  
The last paragraph had been much less neat and it was the signature which started his sudden realization. Chosen One..... Hiroshiro Kanoca had been the Chosen One of the Shimoti Islands and he had never heard of Ash Ketchum being a Chosen One, then he realized he didn't know much about Ash Ketchum at all. So he had setup a secret meating with Kenji Matera to have him hack into the official Pokemon League database to find some information, for a price..... Hiroshiro always had to blush at the price.  
  
But when they had seen one little line of information they had gotten the first piece of the puzzle.....  
  
Ash Ketchum:  
  
Shimoti Island Test................. PASSED-  
  
Mewtwo's Homicide Test................. PASSED  
  
Entei's Inferno Test................. PASSED  
  
Celebi's Forest Test................. FAILED  
  
Imite House Test................. FAILED-  
  
Viridian Center Test................. PASSED+  
  
The list had continued on for a ways stating different 'tests' and also telling whether he had passed or failed. Gary's was the same.  
  
It was that steamy hot mid-July night that the two rivals found out that one of their rivalries was someone else's game.  
  
~()~  
  
Kenji Matera couldn't wait to get his hands on the oh-so succulent Hiroshiro, but he managed to get away without any of his captors catching wind of his leaving.  
  
But even as he strode purposefully down the street eyes down and darting he noticed a pair of ragged guys kissing on a street corner by a streetlight, that or one was chocking. One of the two choices was correct he was sure.  
  
Sighing he sauntered over when the one on top gestured frantically.  
  
As he neared Kenji noticed that it was the latter due to the glazed eyes and still chest, sighing once more he squatted next to the reddish-brunet who looked familiar...  
  
"Kid..... err..... help?" not only were his cloths ragged and full of cloths so was his voice. It was odd Kenji thought as he started the CPR that two people would show up anywhere in such a shape, plus the voice sounded like it had once held full-blown snobdom. Finally the other one started to breath and Kenji decided it was a good time to clean his mouth by licking the street.  
  
"Thanks.. Kid... Whats your...... Name?" the voice was starting to drift back into a more normal voice but still was a little ways off.  
  
"Kenji, what's yours dweeb"  
  
"Stuff it.. punk..... Names Gary.. Oak.... he's Ash........ Ketchum."  
  
Eyes widening Kenji stared at the two people he admired most, the two who had slipped the ultimate noose as they were walking up to the very platform that held it.  
  
~()~  
  
"Lance, do you know what calamity this could cause?" Agatha asked the red- haired Lizard tamer.  
  
"Agatha, Agatha, Agatha.... you don't know me at all do you? Trust me, everything is going the way I want it."  
  
"Good, now that I know there is no point in worrying I will be leaving for a short vacation, but trust me, I'll be watching..... And if your wrong...." Slowly the ghostly woman vanished into the very fog she had summoned. How Lance hated showy people with little brains.  
  
~()~  
  
It was a bright and crisp morning that the noonday sun shown in. It was arguably the best tournament that the spectators would ever view. All was ready, all breath was being held as the two encrusted doors swung open on opposite ends of the field. Brock smirked, Misty politely kept her hands to herself as the two people walked out from the newly opened doors, the Cheerleaders cheered, and none noticed the two trenched figures in the bleachers, none but the other trenched figure who's red hair hung slightly out of the black cowl. 


	2. Ch2

**Ripples to and From Corruption.  
  
By: _Jarzard  
_  
Chapter 2  
**  
The crowd parted when the cloaked figure stood and made his way to the far door, the stride was purposeful and it more or less screamed danger to anyone who didn't move. The other two cloaked figures watched it leave red and black hair hanging gently out of their cowls. The crowd ignored them. The fight continued. And shadows stalked.  
  
It was a long and highly skilled battle that took center stage bellow the stands, fire vs water, grass and psychic, dark and steel, then dragon on dragon. Each of the bouts were full of strategies, tricks and brute strength finding the way past an equally skilled opponent. No quarter was given, none was asked for. However time slowed when four people walked onto the arena floor, their pokemon almost instantly subduing the weakened fighters and their trainers.  
  
Of the four an old woman stepped forward to speak. And the trenched figures tensed, smelling a trap.  
  
"We of the new elite four have intervened on this now irrelevant match for one reason and one reason only. To catch the traitors." She glanced directly into the two hidden eyes.  
  
"Well Ashy, I guess Ill meet you in hell eh?" Gary sneered from the floor of the stadium.  
  
"I'll _play_ with you before your executed, Lance." Loriell laughed.  
  
The two cloaked figures ran for the wall of the indigo stadium.  
  
)§(  
  
Gary.... traitorous Gary.... the accusations spun in Ash's head as he fled the scene of the tournament with the mysterious figure close behind him. They had worked long into the night working on the plan to help the two new Palletian trainers escape the conspiracy worked up by the elite 4, why hadn't he realized the gleam in Gary's eyes wasn't from eagerness to help but from a plan to get power. Why hadn't he realized? His mind was snapped out of a downward spiral of horror and betrayal when the other figure grabbed his shoulder and pulled him to a stop by the small stream.  
  
"Why did he betray you? And who betrayed me? Do you know?" the voice was rougher than when he had last heard it, but it was definitely Lance.  
  
"Power.... he betrayed me for power.... as for who betrayed you Lance I don't know, after all I thought you were Gary.... But.... how did you betray them?" Ash would take no chances.  
  
"Heh, I gave the two squirts access into the forbidden files on the Psy Project, the same one you were a part of."  
  
"What is the Psy Project? And why is everything faked?"  
  
"The Psy Project as it is commonly known as is basically an enhanced breading program for those with psychic potential. And for that to be the case there could be no variables, no chances, no danger. So everything was faked, you entire life was a sham."  
  
"So how did we escape?"  
  
"Have you ever heard of a pokemon, called missingno? Imagine it as a variable say an 'X' or a 'Z' despite all of our complex programs and sensors when this particular pokemon would come into an area it would appear as something that we designed to be there, after all, it is everything yet it is nothing. As it turned out, when it left, you followed."  
  
"So now what?"  
  
"I'm sure you've heard of Saffron City right?"  
  
)§(  
  
The stadium wasn't what it used to be, shingles were lose, a couple windows were busted. And of course there wasn't a crazed Sabrina until the next batch of 'trainers' arrived, much like there wasn't a mewtwo till then either. Of course Ash and Lance weren't supposed to be here either, especially not Ash AND Lance together.  
  
"Sabrina!" Lances voice cracked like a whip through the odd silence that permeated the surroundings.  
  
"What does the Master of Dragons want of me?" Sabrina smirked leaning up against the doorframe leading into the old building.  
  
"You know what I want psychic."  
  
"Of course I do, after all, I'm psychic." Sabrina's grin was not all that reassuring.  
  
"So will you?"  
  
"Yeah I hope he knows its going to hurt."  
  
"Don't matter."  
  
Ash got a very bad feeling when Lance and Sabrina started to chuckle.


End file.
